'Scream inside your heart': Japan urges silence on rollercoasters due to coronavirus

It's a culture well-known for its stoicism, but even the Japanese have found the country's new theme park rules hard to fathom.

In a bid to stem the spread of Covid-19, Japan has urged theme park patrons not to scream on rollercoasters.

While the recommendation of rollercoaster silence was set out in reopening guidelines released in May by the East and West Japan Theme Park Associations, it has recently caused a stir in the media after one of the country's biggest theme parks released a video on proper riding etiquette.

Fuji-Q Highland, set in the foothills of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture, had two of its high-ranking executives take on the park's famed Fujiyama rollercoaster in complete silence.

On Facebook, the theme park said many people had voiced concern that the directive was "tough" or "impossible" so had set out to prove it was not, with the help of its two "role models".

And indeed, the pair managed to endure the ride, which can hit speeds of 130 kilometres per hour, as well as previously being the world's tallest rollercoaster, with the largest drop in the world, completely impassively.

The video ends with the pleasant message: "Please scream inside your heart."

As well as screaming only on the inside, Japan's theme parks have also adopted stringent safety guidelines as they reopen around the country, similar to those adopted around the world.

Guests must wear face masks, have their temperatures checked at the entrance, ensure social distancing at all times and have reduced capacity.